Commenting on the extended longlist, Lisa Allardice, chair of the judging panel and editor of the Guardian Review, said 2012 has clearly been a strong year for debut novels.

'So, for the first time, we have 11 titles on the Guardian First Book Award longlist. We have put together a lively and wide-ranging list to reflect the diversity of first books published this year,' she explained.

The prize, which is now in its 14th year, is open to any debut author writing in English, or translated into English.

A shortlist of between four and six titles will be unveiled in late October, with the winner, who will receive an advertising package in the Guardian and Observer, in addition to the GBP 10,000 prize, announced on November 29th.